


Luna Lovegood: Queen of the Slugs

by RetrieverBeliever



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Book 6: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, F/M, Feel-good, Feelings, Gen, Good Friends, Luna Lovegood - Freeform, Slug Club
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-18
Updated: 2019-11-18
Packaged: 2021-02-08 07:16:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,113
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21472135
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RetrieverBeliever/pseuds/RetrieverBeliever
Summary: Luna contemplates going to Slughorn's party with harry and explores the castle.
Relationships: Friends - Relationship
Kudos: 2





	Luna Lovegood: Queen of the Slugs

“Luna Lovegood: Queen of the Slugs”  
“Potty asked Loony to go to the party! Potty lurves Loony! Potty luuuuurves Loooooooony!”, jeered Peeves from above as he zoomed away from her and Harry, both looking dumbfounded.  
Harry looked as though he had lost control of his jaw momentarily. Then suddenly he made an attempt at what she thought was a joke saying, “Nice to keep things private”, although sometimes sarcasm was difficult for her. They bid each other ado and went their separate ways. She towards Ravenclaw Tower and he towards…well she couldn’t be sure. Harry was a very mysterious boy, but a true and good friend to her.  
Luna smiled to herself as she strolled through the castle halls looking up at the vaulted stone ceilings and walls that were covered with portraits of notable witches and wizards. Maybe she would one day have her own portrait in these halls. The notion of fame did not appeal to her as much as thought of being able to stay at Hogwarts posthumously. After all, aside from the rook-shaped home of her father, Xenophilius, Hogwarts was the place she felt most at home.  
Indeed, Hogwarts was a place of firsts for Luna. It was here where she first saw real Thestrals take flight, here where she learned to transfigure something, and best of all it was at Hogwarts where she made her first friends, all the members of Dumbledore’s Army.  
As she thought of this, a wide smile crept onto her face as she recalled her meetings with Harry and the DA. It felt like so long ago that they had all been together learning stunning spells, how to disarm and enemy, and even produce a full Patronus charm. It was at these meetings that she first came to know Harry as more than “the boy who lived”, seeker of the Gryffindor, or the defender of Hogwarts. With the D.A. she came to know Harry as someone who was truly worth admiring. He was courageous, kind, disciplined, and surprisingly smart for being a Gryffindor. Not that Gryffindors weren’t unintelligent, as Hermione Granger surely proved, but still it wasn’t the defining quality of most members of that house.  
Luna continued towards the staircase to climb to the fifth floor as she remembered Hermione mentioning that she had overheard some other girls plotting to slip Harry a love potion so that he might ask one of them to Professor Slughorn’s party. Then it dawned on her again and she exclaimed, “I’m going to a party tonight!”, to no one in particular as the hallways were empty now.  
Luna had never been to a party with anyone before even as friends. Of course, her and her father celebrated birthdays and Christmas, but it could be lonely at times just the two of them. Her mother was a brilliant witch, but her curiosity had led to her death when Luna was nine.  
She stepped off of the staircase, turning to head towards Ravenclaw Tower, when she passed the tapestry showing Barnabas the Barmy trying to teach trolls to dance ballet. The staircases must have rerouted her up to the seventh floor without her noticing. This happened a lot, but she rather liked exploring different parts of the castle during these detours. There was so much history in these halls and perhaps the Castle had somehow known her longing for the D.A. and all her friends from last year. The tapestry was directly across from the room of requirement where the D.A. had held its meetings.  
Luna felt around in her robes and pulled out a Galleon. However, this particular coin was worth much more to her than its weight in gold. It was a false Galleon, which Hermione had bewitched to pass along messages to the members of the DA. What an ingenious idea that had been. Hermione surely was one of the smartest witches at Hogwarts.  
Luna recalled finding Hermione crying in the lavatory just moments ago before running into Harry. Luna had thought that it was Moaning Myrtle at first, but then she realized it was her friend. She had asked Hermione what was wrong, but all she could get make out from her muddled speech were the words “Ron” and “git”. She seemed very upset.  
It was true that Ron Weasley could be rather insensitive at times, but it seemed like there was something more between her and Ron. But then why would Ron be spending so much more time with Lavender Brown than Hermione these days? It was obvious even to Luna that the two were more than just friends.  
Luna sighed, pocketing the Galleon that she hoped would one day call her and the others back to the DA, and made her way back down the stairs towards the west wing of the castle.  
When Luna finally arrived to Ravenclaw Tower, she climbed the spiral staircase all the way to the fifth floor where she came upon the bronze eagle who was waiting for her. An old friend with whom she would have to reason with.  
She tapped once on the bronze knocker and the eagle’s beak opened at once. It’s soft, melodic voice filled the silence of the antechamber with a riddle, “The more you take, the more you leave behind. What is it?”  
She considered the question. Was is a physical object or perhaps something figurative, in the mind? Without really meaning to, her mind wandered back to the D.A. and the change that had come about this year, Dolores Umbridge had been sacked and the students’ safety was no longer under immediate threat. However, the close bonds that were forged between members of the D.A. during her reign at Hogwarts would never be broken. The path was set before them to stop Lord Voldemort and together they could follow it one step at a time.  
“Footsteps”, she replied and the door to reveal a domed ceiling painted with stars. Blue and bronze silks were pulled back from the arched windows through which a spectacular view of the mountains that surrounded the castle could be seen. The sun had just set behind the peaks, turning them into sharp, black silhouettes that cut the amber sky above them. It was a perfect beginning to what would surely be a magical evening with friends. She stood in the middle of the common room with her arms outstretched as if to give the world a warm embrace, beaming as she gazed out at the mountains. A few fellow Ravenclaws looked up at her briefly, shrugged, and went back to studying or chatting as if this perplexing behavior was routine.


End file.
